By: Clare Buchanan
Photo Credits: Salem College
On April 15, 2025, Salem Academy and College’s Board of Trustees announced through a school wide email and press release that a task force has been appointed to begin a nationwide search for the next President of Salem Academy and College. President Summer Johnson McGee, Ph.D., will depart Salem College as of June 30 to take the presidency at Lenoir-Rhyne University, about an hour away from Winston-Salem in Hickory, North Carolina. Dr. McGee will be the first female president of Lenoir-Rhyne University.
According to the Board of Trustees’ press release on the Salem College website, “The Board has appointed a task force that will identify the interim president in the coming weeks while launching a national search for a new president of Salem Academy and College, who will guide this historic institution into its next chapter.” Salem Academy and College is the oldest educational institution for women in the United States. President McGee was named the 22nd President of Salem College in July of 2021 and has served for four years, leading Salem College during an evolutionary period of change.
Photo Credit: Salem College Website
President Summer McGee has been the leading force in Salem College’s Health Leadership program, a pioneering campaign that has shifted Salem College’s mission in recent years. President McGee was passionate about forming strong women leaders in the health fields, a passion that gained national attention and materialized through the Salem Scholar program, Leadership Days, and the Health Leadership Forum. Salem College also saw three consecutive years of increased enrollment, added three new NCAA sports, and had the largest Giving Day in Salem College history. President McGee was a key figure in navigating Salem College out of debt, working to keep the historical institution’s doors open while implementing 11 new programs, securing $4.75 million dollars in funding for infrastructure projects, and solidifying a new vision for the 1930 Academy Building which is set to become a boutique hotel. Under Dr. McGee’s leadership, Salem College was ranked #2 by US News and World Report for social mobility as well as nationally recognized for its economic diversity.
In an email sent out to the Salem College community, President McGee expressed her love and gratitude, noting, “Together, we have navigated times of great evolution and transformation, and we have accomplished so much. During our time together, we have grown larger and stronger and with renewed a sense of connection and purpose across our community.”
Board Chair and Salem College alumna, Patrice Davis, noted in the Board of Trustees’ press release, “We are deeply grateful for her dedication to advancing our legacy while forging new paths for future generations of Salem.”
As Lenoir-Rhyne University welcomes Dr. Summer McGee as their 13th President, questions remain regarding what direction the Board of Trustees will take when choosing the next leader of Salem College and how the Salem Academy and College community will continue to evolve.
Photo Credit: Salem College Website
The Salemite- Salem College's Newspaper 
Leave a comment